Lancôme Hydra Zen Masque Anti Stress Moisturizing Serum-in-Mask | Review with Before & After!

Hi Everyone!
Hope you all are well :)

It has been three years since I last posted about a skincare product for the face and that is purely down to the fact that I stick to what I know. My skin is very problematic and for that reason I don't like trialling new skincare items. I have highly sensitive skin and understandably I never want to run the risk of a reaction, which unfortunately can be the case a lot of the time when testing out a new product. Recently though despite sticking to my regular trusty skincare routine, my skin has been acting the ham. My acne has made a return, my eczema flares up quite frequently and I'm suffering from very dry flaky skin. All a bit of a nightmare really! So when this Lancôme mask arrived in my post box a couple of months ago I figured sure look, i'll give it a go. Things couldn't really get that much worse could they? 

This product is labelled as a mask but it also doubles as a night cream. I mainly use it as a night cream because I find thats how it works best with my skin. I apply a thin layer at night after I have cleansed my skin and then I follow up with my regular eye cream routine. I find that leaving it on while I sleep really allows the cream to fully nourish and hydrate my skin.

If you would prefer to use this as a face mask you just apply a thicker layer of the product, leave for 5-10 minutes and then wipe away the excess cream with a cloth. The aim of the Hydra Zen Masque is to offer the user immediate and all-night hydration. Lancôme claim that with use:

"Skin feels nourished, softer, supplier. Skin looks healthier, revitalised, more beautiful - like after a good night's sleep."

Consistency wise it's gel like but it isn't extremely thick. It feels very lightweight on the skin and what I like the most is that it doesn't sit on top of the skin. I've been using this cream for a couple of months now and I've barely made a dent in the tub, honestly it looks brand new. You only need the smallest amount of this product to cover your entire face, a little really does go a long way.

Before I started using this product my skin was very dry and irritated, I had some dry flakey patches of skin on my cheeks in particular. To try and combat that I used this product 3-4 times a week for 2 weeks and the results were as follows.

After using this product for a couple of weeks I noticed a massive difference in the appearance of my skin. My dry patches cleared up, my skin looked a lot less red and irritated and overall my skin had a nice glow to it.

I'm so delighted that I tried this product out because I'd be lost without it in my skincare routine now. The Lancôme Hydra Zen Masque is priced at €55 and is available from Debenhams. Honestly, it's worth every cent! If it ever runs out i'll be straight to Debenhams to pick up a pot. If you're interested in trying it out go in and ask for a sample, you won't regret it!

Until next time,

Eimear x 

Tan Organic Moisturising Dry Oil Review

Hey Everyone!
Hope you all are well :)

Back in August I attended the IBY (Irish Beauty YouTuber) Meetup organised by the lovely Dale from MonsterMakeupXx. I'll link her YouTube channel here, go check her out she's an absolute scream! Dale organised such a fantastic day for us all, it was filled with laughter and chats about all things beauty. On the day we had speakers from different brands come in to talk to us about their products and there were also demo's throughout the day too. One of those speakers was Noelle O'Connor, founder and creator of the Irish brand Tan Organic! It was extremely interesting to hear about her story, her time spent on Dragons Den, her rise to success and the struggles she has encountered along the way.

I had never tried any products from the Tan Organic range before so when we were presented with a goodie bag filled with some bits and pieces to try, I was over the moon! One of the first products I decided to try out was the Tan Organic Moisturising Dry Oil. I decided to reach for this product first because I had never tried out a dry oil before, I was curious as I really didn't know what to expect from it.

Starting with the packaging, the oil itself is housed within a 100ml thick glass bottle. There is a tonne of information printed on the bottle in relation to the ingredients and the products uses, to name a couple. The wooden lid twists off to reveal the opening which is just a small hole in the top of the bottle. Usually I wouldn't like an opening like this, generally I prefer a pump with products. However, the hole isn't large enough for you to accidentally pour out more product than you need so no oil goes to waste. I'm pleased with the packaging its high quality and exactly what I would expect considering the price.

As I've said previously, I have never tried a dry oil before but I was intrigued when I heard Noelle talk about this products multiple uses. I really enjoy multipurpose products and in this case it helps me justify the price. The oil contains a cocktail of fantastic ingredients, some of which include; 

• Argan Oil
• Borage Seed Oil 
• Rosehip Oil
• Macadamia Oil
• Orange Peel Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Jojoba Seed Oil
• Hemp Seed Oil
• Sweet Almond Oil

The Moisturising Dry Oil can be used in the bath, as a cuticle oil, in your hair as a treatment, as a face and body moisturiser and more. I like to add a few drops to my bath water the aroma it gives is just gorgeous and it also leaves my skin feeling silky soft. In terms of a hair treatment, the way I use the product is I apply a few drops to the ends of my hair around half an hour prior to washing, then I wash and dry my hair as normal. I find it helps soften the ends of my hair and also keeps the frizz at bay. Finally, I use the oil to give a sheen to my skin and also as an all over body moisturiser after my shower. I decided not to chance the oil on my face but I really enjoy how it leaves my skin feeling. I've very dry skin and I also suffer from eczema and I find the oil has helped to soften my skin without irritating the patches of eczema that I have.

The oil gives a lovely sheen to the skin which I find very flattering especially for nights out or for special occasions. I don't think it absorbs into the skin that quickly, it takes a few minutes but it doesn't leave a greasy/slippery/oily residue on the skin afterwards. What I also like is that the smell lingers on the skin after the oil has been absorbed by the skin. It has a lovely citrus scent which I really enjoy!

A bottle of the Tan Organic Moisturising Dry Oil will set you back €24.99. Initially I thought it was quite dear however, taking into consideration it's a multipurpose product and that a little goes a very long way, I can justify spending that amount of money on it. When it does eventually run out I will be picking myself up another bottle.

If you are interested in picking up some of the Tan Organic range, their products can be purchased online or in selected pharmacies around the country. For more information about stockists, click here.

Have you tried the Tan Organic Dry Oil or a dry oil from another brand? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts :)

Until next time,

Eimear x

Human+Kind All In One Day+Night Cream

I can justify spending that little bit extra when it comes to skin care, its just so important. More so for myself as I have extremely sensitive skin. From experience I find you really have to be careful with what you use. Over the last 5 years I have tried out many different skincare products from various companies. I had terrible acne from the age of 15 and due to this I was always very conscious of my skin. Naturally adopting a good skin care routine was important, and still is. Over the last couple of years my skin has cleared up nicely so I now do my best to maintain that. 

I have found that the vast majority of face washes/ creams etc tend to break out my skin. Actually the only range of products (until now) that I have used that hasn't made my skin break out is the Liz Earle  Skincare range. 

On the 28th of July this year I went to an Irish Beauty Blogger/ Vlogger Meetup in Dublin. On arrival we were given goody bags and this was one of the products in the bunch. When I saw this product I was a little sceptical, I was not sure how my skin would react to it. The fact that the product states its 'all natural' put my mind at ease and I decided to give it a go. I'm pleasantly surprised with this product and I'm very happy I tested it out!

As the title suggests this is an all in one day and night cream. Which in my opinion is genius! There is no need to buy two different creams, this does the job for both. Its space saving and more importantly it is cost effective. The texture of the cream itself is very nice. Its quite light weight and it doesn't leave a greasy/oily texture to the skin. I suffer from dry skin and I did find that the product was extremely moisturising, it cleared up my dry patches in no time. I also noticed that the redness in my skin had reduced and overall my skin appeared more even.

The company states that there is:

• No Chemicals
• No Colourants
• No Parabens
• No Perfume
• No Additives
• No Animal Testing

As I said the fact that the company states the product is 'all natural', gave me the extra push to use it. 

I was reassured that my skin wouldn't break out due to harsh chemicals in the product as there are none! 

The cream itself comes in this lovely polygon shaped cardboard box. Its very eye catching, I love the colours used and the patterns on the box, its all very modern! I also like the fact that the box is jam packed with information such as the product ingredients, purpose, company website etc.

Which leads me on to the next thing I was impressed with, the company website. If there was not sufficient information on the packaging the website will certainly clear up any queries you may have. Its very user friendly, there is a lot of information on the ingredients used followed by pictures of the ingredients and what exactly they do. For more information click here

This product retails at €23.95 for 75ml of product. I find that this is quite a reasonable price seeing as you are getting two products in one. As I said above it is space saving and cost effective. Also you are supporting an Irish company! :)

Overall

Pro's

• 2 products in 1
• All Natural
• Cost Effective
• Space Saving 
• Unique Packaging
• Informative Website
• Supporting Irish Jobs

Con's

• No cons, I'm very happy with the product. Although if I had to knit pick..the text on the back of the bottle is crooked. I don't no if this was due to a modern quirky take on branding or... but that is the only thing I would change :)

Eos Lip Balm Review

After longing over these lip balms for yonks, I have finally got my hands on them!

This month my Mams friend was coming to visit from America and told me she would pick me some makeup to bring over. Obviously I said yes! So along with the foundations, brushes, eyeshadows etc I asked her to pick me up a couple of Eos Lip Balms. The two I chose were:

• Eos 'Sweet Mint' Lip Balm (right)
• Eos 'Summer Fruits' Lip Balm (left)

I am a huge fan of anything that smells good. Perfume, candles, lip balms you name it. If it smells good i'll have it, and these lip balms smell absolutely devine!

I could smell the 'Sweet Mint' lip balm before I even unscrewed the top. Now due to this I do feel that some people might find it a little overpowering. But because I love mint flavoured/scented things it isn't a problem for me, I love it! If you want a lipbalm with a hint of flavour I'd definitely recommend the Summer Fruits lip balm, the smell/flavour is alot more subtle.

The consistency of the lip balms is really nice, they glide smoothly over the lips. I often have very dry lips which is annoying for a makeup artist. I love to wear a bold matte lip and when I have dry lips I simply cant. The lipstick seeps into the cracks on my lips and its not a good look by any means!

So its important for me to find a lip balm which is very moisturising. The Eos lip balms are just that. After applying the Sweet Mint lip balm my lips are left feeling cool and refreshed. I have noticed that there is a difference between the two lip balms. I'm really unsure as to why the formula is different?

I find that the 'Summer Fruits' lip balm can feel a little waxy on the lips. Which is why I tend to reach more for the 'Sweet Mint' lip balm.

The lip balm is long lasting I may have to apply a couple of times throughout the day. But that is a given with eating, drinking etc. Overall it smells good and tastes good too! :)

The packaging is absolutely adorable, not your standard lip balm packaging. This was the first reason I was drawn to the lip balm, I love the unique egg shaped packaging! Its very easy to find in my handbag too, I don't have to root around for ages to find it. Big plus there! The only thing is that it gets grubby quite easily. More so the Sweet Mint lip balm, as it is a pale turquoise shade.

I don't feel that the packaging is too bulky. I'm actually glad it is a little larger than other lip balms as I constantly forget to take them out of my pocket and they end up taking a spin in the washing machine :( 

I'm glad my Eos Lip Balms wont have to suffer this fate haha!

Price wise, as I said my mams friend brought me the lip balms over from America.

They were $2.96 each. Up until recently you could not buy these lip balms in Ireland. An Irish Beauty website called Beauty Emporium now stocks the lip balms. They retail at €6.25c each. 

You can purchase them from Beauty Emporium here.

Have you tried any of the Eos Lip Balms? If so, let me know your favourites! :)

Overall

Pros

• Smells Nice
• Long Lasting
• Unique Packaging
• Quite Moisturizing

Cons

• 'Summer Fruits' has a waxy consistency  
• Packaging gets dirty easily